In the first major address expansion since the mid-1980s, many common words are among those claimed as company trademarks  some with shaky claims to validity.

Individuals and organizations say they're being shut out from the new names because many of the good ones won't be left by the time registration is opened to them. And while consumers may challenge companies for a name, critics say the system is stacked against them.

Businesses holding trademarks have been able to claim ".info" names since July 25, well ahead of the Sept. 12 start for general registrations. Names are scheduled to become active on Sept. 19.

Trademark holders also receive special preference for three other domain names  ".biz," ".pro" and ".name." The remaining three  ".coop," ".museum" and ".aero"  won't be available to the general public at all.

The seven names were approved last year to relieve overcrowding in the field of names ending in ".com."

Russ Smith, who operates Consumer.net, wanted science .info, but chemical giant DuPont Co. already took it. He looked up about three dozen other names and found all were already claimed as well.

Smith complained that many of the dictionary words were listed as being trademarked in other countries, with no easy way to verify. Even U.S. trademarks are suspect, he said, citing DuPont's claims to "science."

DuPont spokesman Clif Webb acknowledged the company doesn't have a trademark on "science," but it has one on "The miracles of science." Webb declined comment on the fairness of early registrations, saying the company is re-evaluating its policies.

Although the days of a domain name such as business.com being sold for $7.5 million appear to be over, many still fetch much more than the initial registration price, which is typically less than $30 a year.

The registrant of business .info, identified as a company specializing in domain names for high-speed Internet, even entered in the contact name field, "This domain is for sale."

Movies.info, meanwhile, was registered by a German. Consumers.info went to an organization simply listed as "CCC." The registrant of books.info claimed a U.S. trademark, although the government's database matched the listed trademark number instead with "Best Little Core House In America."

Afilias Ltd., the Newtown, Pa., company running ".info," will let trademark holders register names until Aug. 27. After that, individuals, groups and other companies can challenge the validity of any claimed trademarks through arbiters at the World Intellectual Property Organization.

Challengers must place a deposit of $295, but $75 of that is nonrefundable even if they win. Challengers who prevail may then claim the name only if they already own the trademark. Otherwise, the name goes back to the general pool, with no guarantee the challenger will ever get it.

"Trademark holders invested significant amounts of money, and it's unfair for anybody to be able to capitalize on investments made by trademark holders," he said.

But Atlanta lawyer Bill Heinze, who specializes in intellectual property, said that while the trademark-protection services may stop speculators, it may also exclude people with legitimate claims.

In the past, domain names were handed out on a first-come, first-served basis, placing individuals and companies on equal footing. That system, however, led to numerous court battles as speculators bought trademarked names in hopes of selling them to companies for a profit.

Stuart Lynn, chief executive for the organization that oversees addressing policies, said the early registration processes were developed to make the transition smoother and to reduce legal costs.

For ".biz," businesses were able to submit trademark claims from May 21 to this past Wednesday, although they couldn't get the names right away. They are simply notified if someone else beats them, so they can challenge it.

Unlike the system with ".info," non-trademark holders with legitimate claims could trump companies with trademarks. But they must submit to arbitration if challenged by the trademark holders.

For ".pro," trademark holders will be able to register names before other professionals.

Even the ".name" suffix  designed for individuals  can be claimed by businesses proffering trademarks. Companies can be forced to relinquish them only after three successful challenges from individuals who share the name.

In the physical world, companies' ability to claim trademarks are generally restricted to the industries and locations where they do business.

Barbara Simons, past president of the Association for Computing Machinery, said trademark holders get more rights online. She worries that individuals wanting to create an informational site about apples would have to line up behind Apple Computer Inc. and other companies with the name.